Fuller Warren Shared Use Path

[duvaltilidie]

Where to even begin? What is the hold up? It's been done for months now and the most recent news article lists safety inspections being done. The only other thing I've seen is a spring opening, but there's nothing.. Anywhere.. to suggest this. It's almost as if they're waiting for the under the bridge project to be completed before a Grand opening. It's frustrating, but what's new with Jacksonville?

[acme54321]

Yep, it's ridiculous.  It's been 95% complete for like 2 years.  I think they are slow rolling it while the contruction at Palm Ave and under the bridge over there is still ongoing to whatever extent.

[tufsu1]

From what I hear, there is a desire for a ribbon cutting with dignitaries. I'm sure this will be strategically timed with either the second round of the Mayoral election or perhaps something from the Governor.

[Captain Zissou]

There was a celebration planned for December 17th, but that got scrapped and it has not been rescheduled.  It looks 100% complete now, but I don't know what the holdup is.  It's definitely not worth having the Governor join, so I hope that's not what is holding it up.  They already made a ridiculous name and logo for a sidewalk, so that's as much overdoing as I can handle.

[thelakelander]

^It has a name and logo?!

[fieldafm]

^It has a name and logo?!

Wingard made/donated a basic logo out of the letters SUP. I believe FDOT is going to hang banners on the light poles featuring the logo.

[Steve]

^It has a name and logo?!

What better way to make everyone forget FDOT vehemently opposed this at one point than by FDOT branding it like the whole thing was their idea?

[thelakelander]

Lol this sounds so silly. Just open the damn thing already.

[duvaltilidie]

Lol this sounds so silly. Just open the damn thing already.

Ennis has spoken. Good grief, I did not expect to read what's been posted above. I'm surprised no one hasn't hung posters up yet asking "2023 OPENING, OR NAH?" on it yet.

[simms3]

It is insane.  Lenny might be delaying it so he can have something to add to "his legacy" as he leaves one office [for another]...

[Ken_FSU]

Just infuriating to go to RAM every weekend, see people asking about if they can use the new path, and having it still barricaded after all these months. This is peak season to allow people to use the pedestrian path, and it’s just being pissed away with no sign of any work being done or any valid reason they can’t just push aside the barriers and let people enjoy the amenity.

[WarDamJagFan]

7 years to fix a bulkhead. 4 years to build a one mile long pedestrian pathway. 3 years to fix a fountain. 15 years to level the Berkman. 45 years to build the I-95/I-10 intersection. Crushing it!

[Ken_FSU]

3 years to fix a fountain.

Article from two years ago, talking about how the project was already a year behind schedule:
https://news.wjct.org/first-coast/2021-04-15/one-year-late-renovation-to-begin-on-southbanks-friendship-fountain

Article from a year ago, saying the project would open by the end of last summer:
https://www.news4jax.com/features/2022/03/25/vegas-or-jacksonville-friendship-fountain-shows-off-new-bells-and-whistles/

It's absurd.

Like the shared use path, this is a public space that should be active and being enjoyed by the public, but no one tasked with bringing vibrancy to the urban core seems to view it as an urgent priority.

Sometimes I feel like I'm irrationally hard on the DIA, but there was no reason to close Friendship Park to the public for over THREE YEARS if you're not going to actively work on it and commit to a reasonable timeline. Driving over the Main Street bridge, I haven't seen significant work going on at Friendship Park for ages.

For fun, projects that were completed by other cities, or by private entities, faster than Jacksonville can restore Friendship Fountain:

Mercedes Benz Stadium (< 3 years)
Madison Square Garden (1 year)
the Jags Sports Performance center (~1 year)
FIS Headquarters (<2 years)

Yet every project under the purview of this city drags on for YEARS, with no sense of urgency, while economic cycles come and go and our sister cities develop at a rapid pace.

The most irritating thing to me in terms of sites like Friendship Park, the Landing, River City Brewing, the Mixed Use Path, etc is the arrogance and disregard it takes to needlessly remove active sites from use for YEARS without having a gameplan and concrete timeline in place for bringing them back online.

[Jax_Developer]

3 years to fix a fountain.

Article from two years ago, talking about how the project was already a year behind schedule:
https://news.wjct.org/first-coast/2021-04-15/one-year-late-renovation-to-begin-on-southbanks-friendship-fountain

Article from a year ago, saying the project would open by the end of last summer:
https://www.news4jax.com/features/2022/03/25/vegas-or-jacksonville-friendship-fountain-shows-off-new-bells-and-whistles/

It's absurd.

Like the shared use path, this is a public space that should be active and being enjoyed by the public, but no one tasked with bringing vibrancy to the urban core seems to view it as an urgent priority.

Sometimes I feel like I'm irrationally hard on the DIA, but there was no reason to close Friendship Park to the public for over THREE YEARS if you're not going to actively work on it and commit to a reasonable timeline. Driving over the Main Street bridge, I haven't seen significant work going on at Friendship Park for ages.

For fun, projects that were completed by other cities, or by private entities, faster than Jacksonville can restore Friendship Fountain:

Mercedes Benz Stadium (< 3 years)
Madison Square Garden (1 year)
the Jags Sports Performance center (~1 year)
FIS Headquarters (<2 years)

Yet every project under the purview of this city drags on for YEARS, with no sense of urgency, while economic cycles come and go and our sister cities develop at a rapid pace.

The most irritating thing to me in terms of sites like Friendship Park, the Landing, River City Brewing, the Mixed Use Path, etc is the arrogance and disregard it takes to needlessly remove active sites from use for YEARS without having a gameplan and concrete timeline in place for bringing them back online.

Been saying that the price tag for "planning" has to be reaching 8-figures for the riverfront. Truthfully people are a little too excited/optimistic that the City won't overpromise and under deliver the riverfront space. I also refuse to excuse the excess money that already has and will be hastily flung maintaining these almost zero revenue generating parcels. I'll continue to be critical of the city taking more projects on until the city can actually deliver on what they say, or at least be close. Public $$ should be able to produce private investment.. how can you bet on those private investments without any ability to deliver? How can a park take longer than an entire building?

[marcuscnelson]

Leah Shields from First Coast News got a statement from FDOT.

FDOT Officials performed a safety inspection in late January to identify outstanding safety items related to the shared use path before opening it to the public. As a result of the inspection, crews have been [working] to address the safety items that include the mitigation of tripping hazards, incomplete safety lighting, removal of exposed materials and completing handrails to current standards. Due to ongoing supply chain challenges across the industry, certain materials (namely the handrails) require additional procurement time.
 
We appreciate the public’s understanding and patience as the safety items are expected to be completed in the next several weeks, unforeseen circumstances permitting.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be scheduled once the safety-related items are sufficiently addressed and cleared for public use.